Josette

meunier fan, I saw announced on the British forum that NYCB will be performing at Sadler's Wells Theatre next season as part of celebrating NYCB's 75th season. The dates have not yet been made known. From https://www.balletnews.co.uk/new-york-city-ballet-announces-2023-24-season/?fbclid=IwAR2PbqP2-iCtuuW_LocoMOA9YbvosbOTWk1OfrT4Xrqkiv51UhwAHX1tmaM : "Touring Engagements at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Illinois, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Upstate New York, and Sadler’s Wells in London." (Emphasis added.) The Harris Theater engagement is March 21-23, 2024, according to the Harris Theater website.

I keep hoping for next season's announcement and then I saw that last year, this 2022-2023 season was announced on May 17, 2022. Wasn't that later than in previous years?

Yes, indeed!

PeggyTulle - That is certainly intriguing. I just checked the casting and there was no change. I would like to see Max Cauthorn as Romeo.

I saw all casts in Orange County two weeks ago and found that Teuscher gave the most detailed, thought-out, and nuanced performance of the three Titas, and her willowy, graceful dancing was a plus. Consequently, I thought she was amazing and watched her throughout and did not watch Ahn all that much. From the standpoint of the two leads, the Park/Carmago pairing was the most satisfying of the three, mainly because of Carmago's fully-engaged, emotional acting and superb dancing, and Park was lovely and her character developed in each act with great genuineness. Their final pas de deux was superb. Trenary's dancing was technically impressive but she does not have a pliable or expressive back, which, for me, greatly hampered her characterization; I was not affected emotionally by her performance and found myself evaluating why I was not affected (and figured it out). She mostly used her face for her characterization and not much else happened except for her executing the choreography more than capably from her neck down - which is not what I've seen from the other five dancers who have danced Tita. I was disappointed. I love the character of Dr. John Brown and was particularly taken with Calvin Royal III's compassion and warmth in the role; both he and Tom Forster danced their too-short solo in the opening of Act II beautifully and with great breadth of movement. (I saw Matthew Ball dance it in London three times and all he had to do was come on stage and I was distressed to tears about what Dr. John was going to suffer.) I preferred Skylar Brandt (warm personality and depth) to K. Hurlin (superficial and cute, but entertaining, given the role) as Gertrudis. As the oldest sister, Rosaura, both Hee Seo and Betsy McBride were excellent; in particular, McBride's characterization with her gorgeous smile was unlike anything I would have expected in this role and changed the dynamics of the ballet. I felt that Chloe Misseldine was miscast, given the talent in the company: she was stiff in her acting and in her dancing (another unexpressive back like a block of wood with appendages attached - at least at this point in her career) and she made the mistake of smiling out at the audience instead of at all times communicating with the other persons on stage. Christine Shevchenko and Zhong-Jing Fang were both excellent as Mama Elena. I preferred Shevchenko's brilliant and nuanced performance the three times I saw her, and she is the more beautiful dancer of the two, but Zhong-Jing Fang's Elena is definitely worth seeing. There seemed to be a few production changes from when I saw the ballet last June in London, but I haven't had time to compare it to The Royal Ballet's version which is streaming through the ROH.

pherank, did Max Cauthorn tell you that he "thought about [leaving the ballet world]for some time," as you say? Where did you get this information? Marston would have worked with Dores Andre in Marston's work, Mrs. Robinson, as Dores danced the role last year. Ballet Zurich has not hidden that it is looking for dancers, as quite a number are leaving at the end of this season.

I would have liked to have seen the Ratmansky Swan Lake in performance.

It does look like a big change in repertoire for them, suited to Dores André, who was so good in Marston’s Mrs. Robinson for SFB. I looked at Ballet Zurich’s 2023-2024 season and there are none of the “typical” classical ballets, which Max Cauthorn is so good in. ( He’s wonderful in all he dances.) Ben Freemantle left at the end of last season and now Max Cauthorn. Among the works for Ballet Zürich next season, Marston is premiering the ballet Atonement and there will also be her excellent work, The Cellist, which was created on The Royal Ballet and premiered in February of 2020. I saw it two weeks before the pandemic lockdown, paired with Dances at a Gathering. Wishing them both great success and fulfillment at Ballet Zürich!

SFB just announced that principal dancers Dores Andre and Max Cauthorn are leaving SFB at the end of this season to join Zurich Ballet, directed by Cathy Marston.

I attended the Tuesday night performance with Misa Kuranega and Isaac Hernandez and will see Isabella De Vivo and Joseph Walsh tonight. I found the whole production delightful and particularly loved that Esteban Hernandez was cast as Benjamin, and so we had the two Hernandez brothers onstage and interacting with each other. And what a beautiful dancer Misa is! I also greatly appreciated Steven Morse as Cinderella’s Father, giving a warm and detailed characterization that enriched the entire ballet.

If I were not going to be out of the country, I would fly up from LA to see the performance with YY, and all the more because she’s dancing with Aaron Robison. Every time she dances, it is a special occasion.

Wow! Yuan Yuan Tan as Juliet.

silvermash, thank you so much for the list with dates.

Always good to hear from you, Doug.

Ashton's Cinderella is beautiful. I am seeing three performances of the revived production in five weeks. Did the dancer who rolled his/her eyes ever see it?

Thanks so much, volcanohunter and Xiaoyi, for your replies!

Can anyone who has seen the company this season tell us how about the current level of principal male dancers? I was stunned to see that Evan McKie was no longer with the company.

Helene: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

I can't see Zhurbin as Juan Alejandrez as it's such an intense dancing role, but those of you who regularly see ABT in NY have a better idea than I of Zhurbin's virtuoso dance capabilitites, which are required for Juan Alejandrez. He may be cast as Pedro's father, which was created by the beloved, great character dance-actor Gary Avis in London. Having seen the ballet in London, the casting looks pretty good to me (in particular casting Trenary, and it was obvious that Cornejo would be Pedro, and that Stearns and Forrester should be cast in the wonderful role of Dr. John), though I personally would prefer seeing Zimmi Coker as Gertrudis instead of Brandt in the role. I am not surprised and actually relieved that certain principals were not cast. The dancers should love rehearsing and performing this ballet.

That video of her in the Act Ii pas de deux with Cornejo is beautiful. Trenary is so expressive.

Interesting that the Los Angeles Music Center would be offering discount tickets to Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, but maybe it's the Rachel Moore connection. I am a supporter and subscriber of both Centers, but did not receive the email blast.

Isn't this her third child, pherank? She looks so happy.

As shown in the clip with Brandt, Aran Bell is cast as Juan Alejandrez, as was suggested as a possibility by maps above on March 3. The brilliant Cesar Corrales created that role in London and set the stage on fire, as he always does. Corrales then was the second night lead with Yasmine Naghdi in London. Good call, maps!

So happy for him and the promotion is not surprising. In addition to his recent casting as Albrecht, he had already danced Romeo, Siegfried, Basilio, and Solor.

This was so enjoyable and Laura Morera is an exceptional coach. I am attending three performances in April.